Flow cytometry analysis has become a routine in now-a-days research. It is more important in hematopoiesis studies where a desired cell type, identified by a single marker or combination of multiple markers. In general we obtain the frequency or % population values for a given cell type. Now, during assessing phenotype of a transgenic mouse compared to its wild type control mouse, which one is better parameter to consider? Is it the % population value or the actual change in the total numbers of the given cell type in a given tissue? I feel, the former one is more meaningful. but I see both the values being mentioned in research articles. Kindly give your inputs and clarify my doubt. I hope this discussion/replies will be useful to many novice people in flow cytometry. Thanks.
Total number and percentage are both important and this is why they generally are both presented. They provide different information that frequently needs to be combined in order to correctly interpret the results. For example, you can have a Knock Out mouse where a cell population A is 90% of the live cells compared to the wild type control where the same population is only 50%. You would conclude that in your KO the cell population A is increased. Then you look at the total number of live cells and you see that it is 100.000 cells in your KO compared to 1.000.000 in your wild time. Now your population A is 90.000 cells in the KO ( 90% of 100.000) compared to 500.000 in your wild type ( 50% of 1.000.000). However, it is also important to show the percentage because it gives you the information that, even if reduced in total number, the population A in your KO mouse is expanded compared to other cell type. Without all the information you would have misinterpreted the results in both cases.
If total cellularity of the organ (for example BM) is same between your control and test group (no significant difference), presenting data as frequency from total BM is enough because the total number of population will be same (choose one of them % or #). However, if you have difference in the total cellularity (control : 100,000,000 BM cells vs KO: 50,000,000 BM cells) what really matters to the actual change in the phenotype is presenting your data as total number of population of interest. Also, you can present the data as a frequency to tell about the nature or the composition of the existing cells after the KO.
Good luck
@ Alhomidi Almotiri: Ok. I got the point. Thank you for your input. Good luck to you too.
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